Key Facts about Gulf of Oman

About Gulf of Oman:

• The Gulf of Oman, also known as the Gulf of Makran, is the western extension of the Arabian Sea and lies in the Middle East.
• It forms the only entrance to the Persian Gulf from the Indian Ocean.
• The Gulf connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then empties into the Persian Gulf. 
• It was part of an ancient trade route linking the Arabian Sea to the Persian Gulf, which enabled maritime trade between civilisations of the Indian Subcontinent. The Middle East and the Mediterranean.
• Bordering Countries: It is bordered by Pakistan and Iran in the north; by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the west; and by Oman in the south. 
  • Muscat, the capital of Oman, is located on the coast of the gulf. 
• It is about 320 km wide at its widest point between Cape al-Hadd in Oman and the Gwadar Bay on the Iran-Pakistan border. It narrows to 35 miles (56 km) at the Strait of Hormuz.
• It is approximately 560 km long.
• The gulf is relatively shallow because of its origin as a fissure in the mountain spine now divided between Iran and Oman. 
• Some of the significant islands that are located in the Gulf of Oman include Sheytan Island, Al Fahal Island, Dimaniyat Islands, and the Sawadi Islands.
• The major international shipping ports that are situated in the Gulf of Oman include Port Sultan Qaboos Muttrah in Muscat, Oman; Chabahar Port in Iran; the Port of Fujairah; and Khor Fakkan Container Terminal in the UAE.
• Roughly one-third of the world's oil is exported via the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.

Q1: What is the Persian Gulf?

It is part of the Indian Ocean. It is located in Western Asia. It is an extension of the Gulf of Oman and connects to the Indian Ocean via the Strait of Hormuz in the east. It is also referred to as the Arabian Gulf or Gulf of Iran. It lies between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran to the southwest and northeast, respectively. It covers approximately 251,000 km2, with a maximum depth of 90 meters and an average depth of 50 meters. It is bounded by several countries, including Iran to the north, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates on the peninsula, and Bahrain, Iraq, and Kuwait in the northwest. 

Source: Saudi and Iran hold joint naval drills in Sea of Oman and plan Red Sea exercises